Marketing Lesson from Hairy Green Guy Named Muzzy…

I recently ordered a set of foreign language DVDs for my 5 and 7 year olds. The Early Advantage company (www.early-advantage.com) had all of the right promos you’d expect from a solid B to C: money back guarantee, buy now and get this bonus interactive game set, etc.

I ordered. Several days later our box arrived. Surprise number one, the collection of DVDs are packaged neatly inside a colorful cookie tin. So fun.

Surprise number two, included in the box is a dark green hairy stuffed thing that looks like he leapt off the pages of Where the Wild Things Are. Meet Muzzy.

The children argue over who gets to hold Muzzy first while they play their DVDs. They want to sleep with him. They want to order another set of DVDs to get another Muzzy.

Finally, we get an online newsletter about Muzzy & friends, language, and learning. The surprises keep coming.

My take-aways?

1. Make it easy for your customer. The Muzzy decorative tin is cute, but more than that it helps me and the kids keep the DVDs where they need to be—all together—thus increasing their value.

2. Include an un-advertised bonus. Everybody loves surprises. It doesn’t matter if you sell a consulting service, electronics, or software…give a new customer a “Muzzy” (that extra -something special). They won’t forget the pleasure of first doing business with you.

3. Appeal to everyone in the buying decision. I hold the wallet, but the kids will ultimately determine the value of the DVDs. The Early Advantage company had to appeal to both of us. So far they’ve done a good job.

4. Keep the connection going. Provide post-sale value in the way of a newsletter, promotional offers, or games to keep the buyer engaged until their next purchase decision.

Early Advantage could have just shipped 7 DVDs and a receipt. Instead, a few extra touches went a long way towards customer satisfaction and a favorable experience.